Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Offering (Service [Space Weather Services, Near-Earth Object Detection Services, Space Surveillance and Tracking Services] and Software), By Object (Mission-Related Debris, Rocket Bodies, Fragmentation Debris, Non-Functional Spacecraft, Functional Spacecraft), By End-User (Commercial, Military and Government), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The global space situational awareness (SSA) market size was valued at USD 1.87 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 1.97 billion in 2024 to USD 3.01 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. North America dominated the space situational awareness market with a market share of 37.43% in 2023.

Space situational awareness (SSA) plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of space activities. Threats, such as orbital collisions between space debris and space objects, can be avoided with the help of this system. The U.S. Space Command has been tracking and monitoring over 28,000 space objects, of which only 3373 are active satellites. The rising number of space objects is the main factor driving the growth of the market.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the global economy. In the space industry, large players seem to be able to cope with the ongoing crisis. These large firms faced challenges, such as a slowdown in production, delay in launches, and others. However, small and medium-sized industries witnessed a negative impact.

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market Trends

Enhancing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) with Radio Frequency Data is a Prominent Trend

The traditional SDA has primarily relied on two sensor types - radar and electro-optical sensors. Each offers its respective strengths, but they have certain limitations. Radars are expensive, and the electro-optical sensor’s output is affected by the weather. The radio frequency (RF) data adds a new dimension to the awareness program. It advances capabilities beyond traditional methods.

Radio frequency data transmitting from objects in space can be monitored and analyzed to obtain critical information, such as location, intention, health, usage, and ownership. Furthermore, various nations and leading players in the market are focused on collaboration efforts toward enhancing the capabilities of situation awareness devices.

For instance, RF data can geolocate and detect interference, whether a jammer or accidental misalignment of objects. It can also identify anomalies in the payload system performance and its impact. By tracking satellites over time, RF data can recognize unexpected challenges that may reveal potential threats.

• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. is a leading provider of radio frequency spectral services for SSA. The company has over 20 radio frequency monitoring sites across the world.

The surging adoption of radio frequency monitoring is anticipated to spur opportunities for the market growth.

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Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market Growth Factors

Surging Satellite Launches and Space Activities across the Globe to Boost Growth

Over the past few years, there has been an exponential growth in the number of small satellite launches for commercial and military purposes. The overcrowding in space is a potential threat to all the satellites. Thus, accurate tracking and predicting the positions of space objects is in high demand.

• The number of small satellites launched in the year 2018, 2019, and 2020 is 322, 385, and 1029, respectively.


• According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), there are currently 3,373 operational satellites in orbit around the Earth.

The growing use of space for national security, commercial services, and others is resulting in a rise in the demand for SSA capabilities. Moreover, along with satellite launches, the number of satellite operators has been increasing steadily over the past 60 years. Several countries, such as Africa, India, and others, have become active in space activities which are expected to increase the demand. Increased amount of satellite launches from various end users across the globe has led to the high demand for situational awareness devices to monitor and track space activities. The rising tensed situation among European borders due to the war outbreak further expected to drive higher market demand for space situational systems, especially in European nations.

Rising Partnership among Countries for Space Situational Awareness to Propel Growth

Space is progressively recognized as a sector of strategic importance for national security. There is an increase in the number of countries to use space for safety, national security, science, and others. Currently, 80 countries are active in the space domain. The congestion in space is directing organizations across various countries to collaborate to ensure the sustainability and safety of space activities.

• For instance, in October 2020, India expanded collaboration with the U.S. to improve its SSA capabilities.


• In December 2020, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) set up a dedicated Space Situational Awareness Centre in Bangalore and will work on a project named Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA).

Thus, the rising need for collaboration among countries for coordinating space traffic is anticipated to boost growth. 

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Stringent Norms Implemented by Space Regulatory Authorities May Hamper Market Growth

The space industry faces several limitations from national and international government organizations. As per the International Space Law, every state has to register its space objects with the international registry to notify and track space objects.

On an international level, there are five United Nations Treaties on outer space, which are

• Outer Space Treaty


• Rescue Agreement


• Liability Convention


• Registration Convention


• Moon Agreement

Moreover, non-government entities require authorization and supervision from the state to carry out space activities.

• For instance, Swarm Technologies’ SpaceBees picosatellite did not receive the spectrum license from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) owing to the concerns that the SpaceBees satellites may not be tracked consistently by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market Segmentation Analysis 

By Offering Analysis

Surveillance and Tracking Sub-segment to Grow at Higher CAGR Due to Increasing Satellite Launches

Based on the offering, the market is segmented into service and software.

The services segment is expected to dominate the market due to the rising space exploration activities and space debris modeling. The segment is further classified into space weather services, near-earth object detection services, and space surveillance and tracking services. The space surveillance and tracking services sub-segment is anticipated to grow exponentially owing to the growing satellite launches.

The software segment is anticipated to show significant growth during the forecast period. The growth of the segment is attributed to the increasing development of software capabilities to protect space equipment.

• For instance, Lockheed Martin Corporation developed an intelligent space awareness software named “iSpace” that provides command & control and battle management capabilities for its customers.

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By Object Analysis

Fragmentation Debris Segment to Lead Market Due to Increasing Space Debris

Based on the object, the market is segmented into mission-related debris, rocket bodies, fragmentation debris, non-functional spacecraft, and functional spacecraft.

The non-functional spacecraft segment dominated the market in 2023 owing to an increase in the space exploration and space operational projects over the years. Furthermore, increased government spending for deploying and testing space prototypes and similar other operations results in higher debris accumulation generated by this segment.

The fragmentation debris segment is predicted to witness significant growth due to an increase in the fragmentation of rocket bodies and spacecraft over the past 60 years. Fragmentation debris accounts for 40% of the U.S. Space Debris Catalogue.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has estimated the number of debris in earth orbit. There are 34,000 objects that are greater than 10cm, 9,00,000 objects between 1cm and 10cm, and 128 million objects between 1mm and 1cm.

By End-User Analysis

Military and Government Segment to Witness Significant Growth Owing to Rising Investment by Various Countries 

Based on the end-user, the market is divided into commercial and military & government.

The commercial segment is anticipated to grow at a high compound annual growth rate throughout the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the rising interest of players in the SSA industry to offer space-based services, such as space debris removal, deorbiting of non-functional spacecraft, and offering data-sharing to satellite owners.

The military and government segment is expected to grow substantially throughout the projection period owing to the rising investment by governments of various countries to increase SSA capabilities.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

The global market for space situational awareness is segmented based on regions into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the rest of the world.

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North America held the largest SSA market share in 2023 and is anticipated to continue its dominance during the forecast period. The U.S. has the largest space surveillance network in the world. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Defense spends heavily on SSA. Furthermore, the presence of prominent space organizations, such as NASA and the U.S. DoD, would fuel the growth of the market in the region.

The market in Europe is anticipated to grow significantly during the forecast period. Russia has the second-largest network of space surveillance which is anticipated to boost the market growth in the region.  

Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for SSA capabilities from emerging economies, such as China, India, and Japan. China is growing its optical sensor network called Asia-Pacific Optical Satellite Observation System (APOSOS) through work with its space network, which is Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO).

The market in the rest of the world is also expected to grow steadily during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to the rising collaboration between non-U.S. countries for SSA capabilities.

• For example, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has partnered with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) to host a space debris tracking station within the Optical Space Research (OSR) Laboratory.

The countries in the southern hemisphere, such as South Africa, Chile, and others, are seeing a lot of interest in sites for installing sensors.

List of Key Companies in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market

Key Players Are Determined in Providing Advanced SSA Capabilities

Lockheed Martin Corporation, L3Harris Technologies Inc., and others are the major players in the market. Key companies in this emerging market are majorly focusing on offering software and services for space situational awareness. These players are adopting growth strategies, such as partnerships, agreements, and new product development, to sustain their positions in the market.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Lockheed Martin Corporation (The U.S.)


• L3Harris Technologies Inc. (The U.S.)


• Vision Engineering Solutions, LLC (The U.S.)


• Analytical Graphics, Inc. (The U.S.)


• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (The U.S.)


• ExoAnalytic Solutions (The U.S.)


• SpaceNav (The U.S.)


• NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. (Canada)


• GlobVision Inc. (Canada)


• Etamax Space GmbH (Germany)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• October 2023 – EnduroSat, one of the major suppliers of space and satellite technology, announced that the company would begin its development of European space situational awareness systems for commercial missions. The company would design and construct its ESPA microsatellites which the company aims to deploy in a low orbit satellite.


• August 2022 – Digantara Research & Technologies, an India-based start-up, proposed its plan to construct space situational awareness observatory which would primarily focus on tracking satellites and space debris orbiting in various Earth orbits and offer its capabilities in space traffic management solutions.


• April 2022 – The Indian and the U.S. government announced that both the countries signed a bilateral space situational awareness contract in which both the companies would be adding enhanced capabilities to its defense systems and space monitoring operations.

REPORT COVERAGE

An Infographic Representation of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Market

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The global market report provides a detailed analysis of the market and focuses on key aspects such as key players, offerings, objects, and end-users. Moreover, the research report offers insights on space situational awareness market trends, competitive landscape, market competition, product pricing, market status and highlights key industry developments. In addition to the factors mentioned above, it encompasses several direct and indirect factors that have contributed to the sizing of the global market over recent years.

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